


Taking the Plunge

by ihadthisdream0nce



Series: WOWOD Verse [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Smut, bad boy! niall, liam is a shameless douche, protective!harry, wax poetic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 20:28:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1111160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihadthisdream0nce/pseuds/ihadthisdream0nce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall is tired of being pushed around. He just wants someone to love him for who he is. When Liam comes around, Niall is hesitant at first, but how is he supposed to find Mr. Right if he's not willing to take the plunge?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The water molecules caressed his skin, like the touch of a lover after many nights apart. His arms cutting through the liquid and meeting no resistance, propelling him forward towards the other end of the pool. How long he had been at it, he didn't know. He didn't really care much, either. He loved the way the water felt around him, the way the chlorine burned familiarly in his nose. It was like a second home.

When Liam reached the other end, he tapped the wall with his hand before planting his feet solidly and making a swift transition into a back stroke. He took deep breaths, regulating his oxygen usage for optimum performance. Stamina was key. He needed the fastest time and he couldn't waste a second on breathing. As Liam sensed the finish line that he had set for himself grow closer, he increased his speed. He hoped to cut down his time by a sizeable amount. Unfortunately, the other end was closer than he had anticipated, and the brown haired boy smacked right into it head first.

Although he was not seriously physically injured, save for a swelling bump on the back of his head, Liam's ego was severely battered. Why did I do that? He thought to himself as he climbed out of the water, thankful that no one was there to see him fail. It was a rookie mistake… 

The empty locker room provided solace for Liam as he showered, his mind filled with self-deprecating thoughts. I could have done better, I could have been faster, swam harder, I should have been better. Angered, he punched the tile wall. He retracted his arm shortly after impact, shaking the frozen appendage and praying to whatever higher power out there that he had not broken it. He watched in awe as the blood blossomed on his knuckles, mixing with the water and swirling down the drain.


	2. Chapter 2

Niall sat in the front row of the risers, gritting his teeth as Lottie poked and prodded his face. He hadn't minded taking care of the young girl while Louis went to go visit his boyfriend, but the least he could do was make it quick. The brown haired boy said that he would be gone twenty minutes, tops. Niall checked his watch impatiently, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. 

"He's late…" He mumbled to himself.

"What about this one, Ni-Ni? Did it hurt?" Lottie asked as she grabbed his left ear and tugged harder that was really necessary. 

"No, Lottie… None of them did." He sighed, bringing a hand up to his molested ear and rubbing it gingerly.

"You have more?" The young girl shrieked, moving her small hands all over Niall's body in vain to try and find where the other piercings were.

"Yes, Lottie." Niall said, grabbing her hands and stopping them from roaming into inappropriate territory. "I have more, but they're not in places for you to know about." 

Lottie pouted dramatically, climbing off of Niall's lap and sitting so that she was facing away from him. She crossed her arms petulantly. 

"Where's Louis?" Niall whispered to himself, wanting his time with Lou's nightmare of a little sister to be over.

"He's in the locker room with Harry." An unknown voice sounded from somewhere near Lottie. Looking up, Niall was met with a pair of soft brown eyes… and a completely bare torso. 

"Uh… Why would they be in the locker room? Everyone else is out here…" Niall replied to the gorgeous boy, honestly confused.

"It's because they're in there that we're all out here." The other boy laughed, placing a hand on his toned stomach to hold in the chuckles.

"What?" Niall, despite not looking the part, was rather innocent. The brown eyed boy leaned in towards him, his lips almost brushing the shell of his ear.

"They're having their pre-race fuck." he whispered, his mouth lingering close to Niall for longer than necessary for two strangers.

"Oh." Niall squeaked, his breath caught in his throat. The way the other boy had pronounced fuck… It did things to Niall that weren't suitable for the public eye.

"I'm Liam… I've heard a lot about you, Niall." he whispered, his breath ghosting over Niall's cheek and making him blush profusely.

"Uhh…" Niall moaned at the close proximity of Liam's lips. He prayed that Lottie wasn't paying attention to what was going on behind her turned back.

"Louis says that you have a lot of piercings." Liam smirked evilly. The blonde boy nodded. "How about we play a game, then?"

"What kind of game?" Niall stuttered, turning his head so that they were face to face.

"Well, I bet you that I can find every single one of your piercings by the end of the season." Liam looked into the blonde's deep blue eyes and smirked.

"Fine. Game on." Niall whispered, finally overcoming his initial hesitancy. Liam was hot, and Louis and Harry never stopped talking about how amazing he was. Maybe this was worth a shot.

Smiling, Liam placed a hand under Niall's chin and pressed his lips softly against the younger boy's. They moved in sync, their kiss passionate and light hearted all at the same time. With his eyes screwed shut, Niall didn't focus on the fact that he'd only known this boy for less than five minutes, but instead the feel of his tongue, the way that Liam massaged the roof of his mouth, swirling around the metal stud that sat on his own tongue , the way that he kissed languidly, as if they had all the time in the world. Snapping out of his blissful daze, Niall began to kiss back, using his seated position as leverage. 

"Excuse me, you two... but I think Liam has a swim meet to attend… You can snog him when we win." Louis' voice sounded from behind Liam, causing Niall to pull away and open his eyes in surprise. The brown haired boy turned towards the boy who had so rudely interrupted them with a satisfied smirk. 

"Yeah…" He said sheepishly, glancing briefly towards Niall as he sat on the bleacher, completely out of breath. Pressing a feather light kiss to the blonde's lips, he backed up towards the pool. Suddenly, he stopped, turning around and looking directly at Niall. "Hey!" He shouted, trying to gain the younger boy's attention.

"Yeah Liam?" Niall answered hoarsely, his voice not accustomed to shouting.

"I found three, how many more do I have left?" The older boy asked, and Niall smiled brightly.

"Six!" he laughed as Liam winked and jogged towards the rest of his team. Niall turned around to face Louis, who was standing with his mouth open.

"Now as for you, Louis." He started, stepping towards the older boy threateningly. "How dare you leave me with your demon of a little sister while you go off and fuck your boyfriend in the locker room!"

Louis smiled unsurely, yanking Lottie up from where she sat obliviously on the riser. "You wouldn't hurt a child, Niall!" Lou screamed, using the young girl as a shield. "And plus, if I hadn't have left you out here with her, you never would have met Liam!" That stopped Niall in his tracks.

"I guess you're right." He said, bringing a hand up to touch his lips gingerly. Smiling to himself, he could still feel the slight pressure of Liam's lips on his own.


	3. Chapter 3

"So… " Harry asked quietly, having pulled Liam into a secluded corner of the locker room so that their screaming team mates wouldn't interrupt. "Are you and Niall and item now?" The curly haired boy was truly curious.

"No." The older boy replied, his voice holding a tone of finality.

"Wait, what're you saying then?" Harry wondered, honestly.. If they weren't an item, then why were they making out before the meet? 

"No," Liam said slowly, enunciating each syllable so that the younger boy would understand him completely. "We're not dating, we're not an item. I just happened to kiss him." 

"So, you just waltzed over to him and planted one right on him?" Harry was appalled, this behaviour never would have occurred with the Liam he knew… The Liam he knew was rigid, obsessed with being perfect, and had his life completely mapped out. He had to be in control.

"No, I didn't waltz over to him. We talked first. He was wondering where Louis was, and I told him that you two having your pre-race fuck in the locker room." the older boy smiled deviously, leading Harry to believe that there was something else that had happened.

"And then you snogged him?" Harry was fully aware that he sounded like a gossiping pre-teen, but he didn't care all that much. He was more interested in what Niall had done to capture his friend's attention and start tearing down his walls.

"Well, I thought having a little extra Irish luck wouldn't hurt our team." The younger boy stood there, stunned. Niall wasn't part of the plan. Liam had recounted the plan to him millions of times. Kissing people that he didn't know very well was not on the plan.

"Listen.. Liam, if you're just going to use him…" Harry started, but was abruptly cut off by Liam. 

"I'm not using him. I have nothing to gain from him. He's just some person that I kissed once." The older boy shrugged carelessly.

"No, he's not just some person you kissed once. He's my friend, Lou's friend. Think of what you're doing. This isn't a game." Harry was beyond peeved. He was happy that Liam was branching out, doing spontaneous things that weren't part of his plan, but he wouldn't let him hurt his friends. Niall could prove to be good for Liam, and he didn't want the older boy to ruin a good thing before it could actually happen. "There are other people's feelings involved, Liam! Things that you can't control."

Keeping his head down and not dignifying Harry's comment with a response, Liam turned from Harry and walked back into the main part of the locker room, pasting a smile on his face and celebrating with the rest of his team. Harry, not wanting to cause a scene, followed behind, shouting wildly with the rest of his friends.

"Party at my house!" He laughed, informing the team where the festivities would take place. He whipped out his phone and texted his boyfriend.

After party at my house, bring Niall.. I've got a plan. x Haz

Within a few seconds, Harry received a reply.

Okay, will do. Do your plans include you and me and a bed? xx Lou

Smirking, Harry replied. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. Lou'd find out eventually.

______

"Niaaaaaaaaaaaaaallll!" Louis called from the entrance way of the blonde's small home. He dropped his bag by the door and followed his friend's retreating form into the kitchen.

"Yes?" Niall replied, turning towards the cabinets and rummaging through the one that held the energy drinks. He felt exhausted just watching the meet.

"Will you do me a favour?" the older boy pleaded, his crystal blue eyes sparkling in the ambient light of the open room.

"No." The blonde popped the tab up on the can of Red Bull and took a long drink, letting the carbon bubbles burst on the way down.

"Nialllll!" Lou whined, stumbling awkwardly towards the boy in question and engulfing him in a hug. "You didn't even let me tell you what it was!" 

Niall scoffed, placing the can on the counter away from Louis. He didn't need any more energy. "I don't need to. Knowing you, it's probably something that I'd say no to anyway."

"Please, Niall! Just hear me out?" Lou decided that the best plan of action was to use his puppy eyes on the younger lad. He pouted softly and made his eyes water just a bit, using a technique he had learned in drama class.

"Oh, c'mon.. Lou, don't cry!" Niall had taken one look at Louis' pout and instantly forgot any thoughts of protest. 

"Will you please come to Harry's party tonight?" The younger boy looked at his friend, suspicious of his motives. He realized that by winning the meet, their school swim team had qualified to participate in the state championship and he should be celebrating with everyone else… but he couldn't help but think of the brunette boy who was currently plaguing his thoughts: Liam.

"Harry's party?" Niall asked, skeptical. "Isn't Harry friends with Liam?" 

"Well, they swim together. And Liam is the team captain…" Louis was stalling, not wanting to tell the outright truth. Harry needed Lou to get Niall to the party so that they could go through with their plan.

"Louis, answer me this." Niall stared directly at Louis, gaze boring a hole into the older boy's soul. "Is Liam going to be there?"

Louis paused a few moments, thinking of the ramifications of lying to his best friend, but then thought better. "Yes." He spoke clearly, finally deciding on telling the truth. "Liam Payne will be there."

"Then I'm not going." Niall said, finality evident in his voice. "You'll have to go alone, or with Haz."

"Niall!" Louis protested. "Why don't you give him a chance? You don't even know him!" The older boy honestly wanted to know what Niall thought gave him the right to judge Liam when he had not spent longer than ten minutes with him.

"Lou, I'm not going and that is the final answer." Niall huffed, walking towards the exit of the kitchen.

"Niall, you're a fucking coward. He's just a teenager! Why won't you go to the damn party, who cares if he's there? Its not like it's going to hurt you, is it?" Louis was angry now. He didn't want to yell at Niall but things were getting ridiculous. 

"You want to know, Louis?" Niall rounded on his friend, face red and contorted with both pain and rage, emotions that Louis had never seen grace Niall's placid visage. "You want to know why I don't trust people or let them get too close? I've worked for years creating a wall to put up so no one else's opinion can hurt me. I don't feel anything with anyone other than you or Harry, and I've been doing it for so long that sometimes I forget what it's like. That's why I have so many piercings. They help me remember what it's like to feel emotions, even if they're painful. At least I can feel something." Niall ranted, taking out his anger and frustration.

"I still don't get what this has to do with not wanting to see Liam." Louis whispered to his friend softly, watching has the blonde's petite form shook softly.

"Don't you understand, Louis? I'm scared. I'm scared because he makes me feel things. I've never felt anything like it before."


	4. Chapter 4

Upon walking in the front door, Niall was bombarded with a throbbing baseline and the drunken cries of many rambunctious teens. Harry's foyer and joined living room had been transformed into a massive dance floor. The furniture had been pushed against the walls, valuables hidden from kleptomaniacal friends, and breakables relocated to safer places. The overhead lights had been shut off and only two lamps were lit, each sitting in opposite corners of the room and casting an ominous glow over the pulsing mob of dancers. 

The blonde boy searched the crowd for Louis, figuring that he would at least let him know that he decided to come. After their chat a few hours prior, Lou said that Niall didn't have to go if he was that uncomfortable and after a long internal debate on Niall's part, he finally decided to come. Though now, he was regretting his choice. 

"NIALLL!" someone shouted over the loud music. The boy in question looked in every direction, trying to identify the speaker. Soon, Harry had sprung himself free of the crowd and had both of his arms wrapped around Niall's slim shoulders. "I'm so glad you decided to come after all! Louis felt absolutely terrible when he told me that you said you weren't going to be able to make it!" the younger boy slurred, obviously a bit tipsy.

"Uh.. Yeah!" Niall answered awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable shouting so loudly.

"C'mon!" Harry smiled, untangling his arms from Niall and pulling him into a less crowed room, which happened to be the kitchen. He dipped his hand into a nearby cooler and pulled out a rather large bottle of alcohol, pouring it into a red solo cup. Harry then reached back into the cooler and pulled out another bottle and repeated the same action of filling the cup. Finally pleased with his concoction, he handed the cup to Niall and smiled sweetly.

"Drink up, mate. It's going to be a long night." Harry patted the older boy's back with unnecessary force before skipping drunkenly into the next room.

Niall looked down into the depths of the red cup in his hand, the acrid smell of the two alcohols that Harry had mixed wafting up towards his nose and making him cringe. Biting back his initial skepticism about the concoction, the blonde pinched his nose and brought the cup up to his lips, drinking the entire thing in one go. He slammed the cup on the counter and coughed a little, not really expecting the drink to be as strong as it was. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Liam talking to a petite red headed girl. Niall watched in fascination as he stepped closer to her, dipping his head and whispering into her ear. He watched as she giggled as Liam pulled back, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into him.

Harry was right, it was going to be a long night.

____

Louis only knew a few things for sure.

The first, being that he was drunk off of his arse. The second, being that somewhere between the living room, the stairs, and Harry's bedroom, the younger boy had mentioned that Niall had actually showed up at the party. The third, and final thing, was that Harry had a wonderful mouth. Especially when it was on his dick. 

The older boy lay naked and spread eagle on Harry's bed, fists clutching the plain coloured sheets in pleasure. He was glad that they had locked the door upon entering, otherwise someone could have walked in and seen Harry straddling Louis' legs, hair disheveled and vibrant green eyes fixed on his boyfriend's expression. His kissable lips stretched wide around the older boy's member. Louis let out a rather loud moan as his dick hit the back of Harry's throat, gripping the sheets with a strength had he didn't know he had to avoid losing control. 

"Haz…" Louis gasped out, trying in vain to catch his breath. Harry paused his ministrations, mouth pulling off of the latter's dick. Using the small break in activity to his advantage, Lou put his hands on Harry's shoulders and flipped their positions, so that he was now on top of the younger boy. Leaning down, Louis pushed the chocolate coloured curls away from Harry's ear and whispered to him softly.

"Fuck me."

_____

Niall, like Louis, was fucked.

Although in a different sense of the word. 

After he had downed the first cup of unknown alcoholic beverages, the blonde had made himself a second cup. And a third. And a fourth. And somewhere in between the fifth and the sixth cup, Niall vaguely remembered grabbing a Red Bull from Harry's fridge, but he couldn't be sure. That night, there were a ton of things he couldn't be sure about.

He wasn't sure where his shirt had gone. He found himself dancing in the middle of a mass of people, body writhing in time with the beat of whatever song was playing. He vaguely remembered a pair of hands reaching around his midsection and pulling it up and over his head, but he couldn't be sure.

He wasn't sure of the time. After the second drink, he had loosened up quite a bit, and found himself not caring about what time it was, or where he was, or what he was doing, or how he was getting home. It didn't really seem like a pertinent thought at the time.

He also wasn't sure of who was behind him. He'd started dancing with this mysterious partner ages ago, but he had yet to turn and see his face. Niall assumed it was a male because of the bulging hardness rubbing against his arse… but he couldn't be sure.

One provocative song bled into the next, and soon Niall was so fixated on staying on his feet that he didn't really notice the pair of hands roaming his chest, tweaking his nipple rings. He didn't notice that whoever was behind him was licking his collar bone, biting softly every once in a while. He didn't realize that he was arching into the mysterious being and moaning like a porn star.

Nope, he didn't notice at all.

Suddenly, whoever was behind him licked the shell of Niall's ear. The young boy shivered involuntarily. 

"I found three more," the person whispered, trailing a hand down the blonde's exposed stomach and circling his pierced navel teasingly. He was close enough so that Niall could hear his voice over the thumping music. "How many do I have left?"

"Uhnn!" Niall groaned, thrusting his hips back into the boy's crotch, "Three more. Just three more and I'll let you have me, Liam."

Wait, Niall thought to himself, Liam?

 

Fuck.


	5. Chapter 5

The morning after the party, Niall leaves the house and walks the five or six blocks to the tattoo parlour. He leaves his phone and his wallet in his room, only taking his iPod, ID, and fifty quid.

 

The walk was silent, save for the music blasting through the young blonde's headphones. He strolled along, ignorant of the world around him. Focusing on his own inner turmoil rather than the pedestrians scrambling to get from place to place around him.

 

Does Liam want me? He thought to himself, kicking a stray rock off of the pavement and into the road. He watched as a passing car crushed it into pieces. Is he just playing with me? Does he only want to win that stupid  bet? What could have possibly spurred him to strike up a conversation with me in the first place, I'm nothing special.. The self-deprecating thoughts continued to plague the young boy's mind until he reached his destination.

 

Climbing the few stairs up to the entrance of the shoppe, Niall switched off his iPod and opened the door. He was greeted by the high pitched chime of the bell ringing above his head and the smell of cleaning antiseptic. He smiled at the girl sitting at the counter, walking past her and into the back area of the store where the employees created their works of art. With a critical eye, the blonde scanned the room. He was looking for an artist in particular, but could not find him.

 

"Hey, Niall! Haven't seen you in a while. The tongue piercing holding  up well?" Niall jumped a little at the sound of his friends voice, but immediately turned around and threw himself into the dark haired boy's arms.

 

"Zayn!" he cried, feeling the weight of the yesterday's events peeling off of his shoulders as the older boy enveloped him in a friendly embrace.

 

"Hey buddy, what're you in here for today?" Zayn laughed. The two had become close friends in the time that Niall had been getting all of his piercings done. They had a level of trust that Niall shared with no one but Zayn, and that's why he refused to go anywhere else. That's why he was in the tattoo parlour in the first place. He didn't trust anyone else.

 

"I need you to do me a favour…" Niall said, backing out of Zayn's hug and looking him in the eye.

 

"Oh no, the last time you asked me for a favour, you had me pierce your-" the dark haired boy replied, but was abruptly cut off by Niall's hand covering his mouth.

 

"We don't speak of that, Zayn." He whispered threateningly. "I need you to design me a tattoo. I want it today and I can pay you." Zayn froze.  Niall never asked for tattoos… He claimed that they were too painful and too permanent.

 

"Niall, buddy… Don't you want to think this through a bit first? I know how you are with the piercings and stuff, but tattoos are permanent…" Zayn trailed off, leaving the blonde to mull over his words carefully.

 

"I've thought about it. I want to do this." Niall answered confidently. Zayn shook his head, gripping his friend's shoulder and steering him into the back room where they kept the design equipment.

 

"Want to tell me why you're getting inked?" the older boy attempted to make light conversation as he opened and closed drawers, looking for his special sharpie.

 

"Well, there's this boy…." Niall started, before launching into the full story of what had happened in the last few days.

__________________

 

The rest of the weekend passed quickly for Niall. His mother was a bit peeved that he had gone out and gotten his entire back inked without telling her, but eventually, she gave up. She claimed that since Niall was old enough to make his own decisions and he used his own  money, it wasn't that big of a deal.

 

Niall spent Monday morning avoiding both Louis and Liam, for they were trying to track him down. Louis probably wanted to know why he had left the party early on Friday evening, and Liam probably wanted another go at finding his piercings. Luckily enough, Niall had managed to stay relatively hidden from the two for the most part of the day.

 

And then, there was lunch.

 

All four of the boys shared the same lunch period, which meant that there was almost a one hundred percent chance of them all running into each other. Attempting to be sneaky, Niall ditched the last three minutes of his free period and ran to the lunch room, hoping that he would beat everyone there and be able to get out with his lunch before anyone saw him.

 

After securing his lunch, Niall set off towards the bathroom near the science wing. Hoping to pass by undetected, since no one ever used those bathrooms, the blonde boy grabbed himself a seat in the handicapped stall. He shut the door, put the lid down on the toilet seat, and got comfortable.

 

Niall was completely unaware as to what events were about to unfold as he took one last bite of his apple, tossing the core into the trashcan that sat in the far corner of the stall. Getting up from his makeshift seat, he picked up his things and made a move to exit the confined space. Unfortunately, not everything was going to go according to plan.

 

Without warning, the unlocked stall door burst open and Niall was pushed up against the tile wall. His things fell to the floor with a loud thunk as he collided with the cold, hard surface. A pair of large hands gripped the blonde's thighs, lifting his body from the ground and wrapping his legs around the mysterious person's waist.

 

"Do you know how long it took me to find you?" Niall shivered as the deep voice whispered in his ear, lips kissing down his collar bone.

 

"Liam…" the younger boy whined, pressing himself closer to the brunette's chiseled chest.

 

"Why'd you hide from me? You're obviously glad to see me…" Liam hissed, grinding his crotch against Niall's. The temperature in the small bathroom escalated as the two boys made out passionately. Niall let go of any reservations he'd had about Liam and just allowed himself to feel. 

 

Niall had an out of body experience that day. As Liam was kissing him and he was responding with just as much gusto, the blonde boy found himself looking at the scene unfolding as if he were a mere spectator. He examined the way that his body fit perfectly between Liam's legs, the way that Liam held him as if he were a breakable object but firmly nonetheless.  He watched, confused, as he saw himself pull Liam's face closer to his own, bringing their lips together in a fierce kiss. Niall continued to observe as Liam reached under his shirt, pulling it up so that it bunched at his chest. Liam casually kissed a trail from his lips, down the column of his throat and towards his nipples, pausing only briefly to leave a hickey where Niall's neck met his shoulder. Keeping one hand on the blonde's thigh to hold him steady, Liam used his left to try and undo Niall's fly. And that’s when Niall was transported back into his body.

 

"Stop.." the younger boy protested weakly, using his arms as leverage to try and push Liam away.

 

"You like it.." the brunette whispered huskily, tugging harder at Niall's pants in hopes of getting them off.

 

"STOP!" Niall screamed. Liam, surprised, dropped the younger boy to the floor and jumped away. From there, Niall did the only thing that he knew:

 

He ran to Louis.


	6. Chapter 6

Running down the hallway in a crowded high school draws attention.

Running down the hallway crying draws even more.

Running down the hallway half undressed causes a scene.

Running down the hallway exposing your new tattoo that covers your entire back is a little strange.

Running down the hallway doing all four simultaneously is more than a little embarrassing.

But, Niall didn't care.

He wasn't focused on the plastic bandage Zayn had carefully placed over his tattoo peeling off in the hall of the science wing. He wasn't focused on the hundreds of stares he was getting. He couldn't remember when he had started crying, when or how he had found Louis and Harry in the music room, or how he had ended up sobbing in Louis' arms as Harry watched the scene unfold in confusion.

Louis pulled the crying boy closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and running a hand through his blonde hair soothingly. The older boy whispered sweet nothings in his ear until the sobs ebbed into soft sniffles and Niall calmed down enough to breathe properly. Harry, thinking that he knew the cause of Niall's distress, kneeled before the boy and placed his hands comfortingly on the other's thighs.

"Niall, dear. Would you like to tell us what happened?" Harry prodded calmly, not wanting to upset the boy further. Louis sent his boyfriend a warning glance, telling him not to push too far.

"You don't have to, we understand." Louis whispered, tugging on Niall's shirt so that it covered his torso once more.

"No!" Niall protested, wincing at the loudness of his own voice. "Its okay. I'll tell you. You two need to know." He took a deep breath, calming himself so that he might be able to retell the past week's events without breaking down.

"When you're ready." Louis told him, kissing his forehead softly. Harry smiled encouragingly.

"Well, it all started at the party. I may have seen Liam there and gotten a little more drunk than was acceptable…" The blonde trailed off, casting his head down in shame. "I know it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but at that point I was more drunk that I'd ever been… and nothing really hurt. I couldn't feel anything. So of course, like any other partying teen, I went to dance. And because karma is a bitch, the person that I end up grinding with is Liam… the very person that I'm trying to avoid." Louis pulled Niall closer and hugged him tighter, praying that nothing worse had happened.

"Well, I ran off once I realized that it was him. Ended up going straight home. The next day I went to talk to Zayn and got these done." Niall wiggled out of Louis' embrace and tugged up his t-shirt, exposing the lovely tattoo that graced his entire back. Both Louis and Harry gasped in surprise.

"Niall! What'd you do? Does your mother know?" Louis asked, slipping into his mother hen mode.

"Yes mom, she knows." Niall replied sarcastically, "I just needed a distraction, to willingly feel something rather than be forced to feel." the curly haired boy looked at Niall, terribly confused once more.

"What? What do you mean, feel something willingly rather than be forced?" Harry was beginning to fear for the blonde, did he self harm?

"I mean that my life has been anything but easy. All throughout my childhood, I was teased, bullied, picked on, everything. I couldn't take it… So eventually, I built a wall. This wall kept me from feeling whatever other people threw at me. I wasn't bothered by it anymore because it couldn't break down my wall. Nothing could. Until Liam." Louis, having already heard this speech, squeezed Niall's hand, letting him know that he was there for him.

"Liam makes me feel alive. Like when I get inked or pierced, I know I can still feel. The wall has been up for so long, sometimes I forget what it's like." Harry stiffened at the words.

"Wait, you're saying that you like the way that Liam makes you feel, but you're scared because you don't know if he feels anything for you at all?" The gears in the curly haired boy's brain were turning furiously, trying to decipher the meaning behind Niall's words.

"Yeah, but when he corners me in the bathroom and practically fucks me into the tile wall, it seems like he's just using me for sex. Not to mention his stupid bet-" Niall was cut off by a furious Harry, who stood up so quickly that both he and Louis were surprised.

"What do you mean corners you in the bathroom? What bet? Does Liam think you're some type of toy? You're a fucking person, with feelings!" Harry's hands flew to his head of curls, tugging at them violently. "FUCK! That's it. I'm going to talk to Liam." He bit out angrily before making a swift exit from the room.  
.  
"It'll be okay," Louis whispered as Niall collapsed into a fit of tears once more. "Everything will work out, you'll see, babe." 

Louis prayed that he wasn't wrong.  
_________________

"LIAM!" Harry screamed as he walked into the boys locker room. He knew that the older boy had the period after lunch free, just like the rest of them, and used it to work in some extra time in the pool.

"Liam, where the fuck are you, you asshole!" Harry was tired of playing games. He wasn't going to let Liam hurt his friends for a stupid bet. Niall wasn't a toy, he was a human being. He had feelings just like anyone else. Harry rounded the last row of lockers to find Liam drying his hair and humming a happy tune.

"Hey, Haz!" He said, smiling when he noticed the curly haired boy's presence. Liam's calm and happy exterior made Harry absolutely furious.

"Don't you 'Hey, Haz!' me, Liam Payne." the younger boy cried, using one of his hands to get a good grip on Liam's shoulder before punching him square in the face.

"Ow!" Liam screeched, clutching is nose in pain. "What the fuck was that for, Styles?" The older boy watched as Harry clenched his fists again, body visibly shaking with anger.

"Don't fucking give me that, you know perfectly well what it was for. Who's the bet with, Liam? How much are you getting?" Harry knew exactly what was going on, and grinned sadistically as he watched Liam pale.

"What do you mean, Harry? What bet?" Liam tried playing dumb, but Curly wasn't buying it.

"Its with Stan, isn’t it? Or Greg?" Harry pressed on, stepping towards the older boy menacingly. "I already know what's going on, I just want to hear you say it."

Defeated, Liam sighed.

"One hundred quid, I sleep with Niall before the end of the season."


	7. Chapter 7

Harry smiled with a sick sense of satisfaction as Liam walked into class the next afternoon. His face was bruised, black and yellow splotches covering his once pristine face. Glancing around the room, the older boy noticed that the only empty seat was right next to Harry. He sighed, defeated, and walked over to the desk. Plopping himself unceremoniously in the metal contraption, Liam leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear, quite aware that the younger boy was no longer speaking with him.

"Its not just a bet anymore, Styles. I actually like Niall."

Harry scoffed, keeping his eyes trained on the teacher at the front of the room as she explained polar and rectangular coordinates on a plane, hand scribbling down notes furiously. 

"Pathetic." He mumbled under his breath, hoping that Liam had heard him.

________

 

"Fuck." Niall swore as he stepped outside of the brick school building. He huddled under the small awning and scolded himself for not bringing an umbrella. The blonde boy looked helplessly out into the car park, watching as his friends climbed into their vehicles and drove themselves home in the torrential downpour. He was screwed. He had to walk home in the rain and his tattoo wasn't supposed to get wet just yet. 

Niall braced himself for the onslaught of vicious raindrops stinging his skin, but it never came. For when he stepped out from under the awning, he was immediately covered by an umbrella. An arm wrapped around his waist and he was immediately guided towards a black Range Rover.

Looking up in confusion, Niall was met with the blackened face of Liam Payne. Of course, the thought to himself. Liam just smiled, opening the door for the blonde boy and ushering him inside. After Niall climbed in, he shut the door and walked around to the driver's side. Not a word was spoken between the two as Liam started the car, shifting gears and pulling out of the parking lot. It wasn't until they had left the school grounds that Niall had gathered up the courage to try and make conversation.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked. Niall knew he was a nobody, his existence meant nothing to the older boy, other than the bet.

"I like you, Niall. You're different." Liam replied, making a turn and heading towards the subdivision where Niall lived.

"You're using me, I'm nothing but a way for you to earn some extra cash." Niall argued, convinced that he was to remain forever alone. No one could love, let alone like, someone like him. He was the weird boy with the trust issues, the one that had too many piercings, the one that couldn't feel anything unless it was physical pain. He was a freak, what did Liam see in him that he didn't see in himself?

"I'm sorry." Liam whispered, defeated. "I'm sorry you think that way, but its not true."

"Excuse me?" Niall exclaimed, completely outraged. "I believe it was you who said 'I bet that I can find all of your piercings by the end of the season.' I know your type, Liam Payne. You're putting up a pretense of liking me so that you'll ensure yourself a win. If we're going out, then you're bound to find them all sometime."

"My type? And what exactly is my type, Niall Horan?" Liam gritted out, pulling into Niall's neighbourhood and stopping his car on the curb.

"Pompous assholes who feel the need to control every aspect of their lives, and even other peoples'! You think you can have anything you want, Liam. But in truth, you can't. You'll never have me because I deserve better. I don't deserve someone who only wants to be with me because of a bet, I don't deserve someone that practically rapes me in bathroom stalls and at parties. I deserve someone that'll treat me properly, someone that'll bring me presents just to say they were thinking about me, take me out on dates randomly because they felt like it, and make our first time together special because they wanted it to be good for me, not just them." Niall took a deep breath, calming himself, before he continued. 

"I deserve someone who loves me, regardless of my flaws. I deserve someone who won't use my flaws against me, someone who'll appreciate everything I have to offer. And you, Liam Payne, are not someone who can give me what I deserve." And with that, Niall unbuckled his seat belt and exited the car. He didn't care about his tattoo getting wet, he didn't care about ruining his school books or his backpack, he didn't care about getting entirely soaked, he didn't care about how much of a tosser he looked like as he ran down the side walk in the rain, crying his heart out. He didn't want to admit just how much he wished Liam could give him what he deserved. He just needed to get away from the black hole that was Liam Payne.

_____________

"Harry, please. Let's not fight about this." Louis begged. He didn't like how a simple conversation had turned into a large argument in a matter of minutes.

"I don't want to fight either, Louis. But you need to see that you're wrong! Liam isn't good for Niall, he'll only hurt him!" Harry fumed, pacing back and forth in Louis' bedroom.

"Harry, I'm not denying that, but this isn't a right or wrong situation. How are we supposed to help our friends if we can't stop arguing?" The older boy didn't want to fight with his boyfriend, he just wanted to help Liam and Niall. The curly haired boy stopped pacing, moving to sit next to Louis on the bed.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, wrapping his arms around Louis's shoulders and pulling him close "I didn't mean to get all worked up. I want things to work out for Liam and Niall, I do. But I just think that Niall has poor taste in guys."

"How can you say that, Haz? Liam is your friend." Louis inquired, nuzzling his head into Harry's chest.

"I don't tolerate people that have no regard for others' feelings." Harry bit out. "Liam's made his decision, now he has to suffer the repercussions."


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Niall skipped school and spent the day at the tattoo parlour with Zayn. He had originally gone in to make sure that he hadn't done any damage to the masterpiece that decorated his back, but ended up staying because he couldn't bring himself to go to school and see Liam.

Eventually, he ended up breaking down in dark haired boy's arms and telling him everything that had happened between him and Liam. About the bet, about how he had lied, about how Liam didn't deserve him. Zayn was supportive, holding the blonde boy close and lending him an ear. He wiped away Niall's tears, kissing his head comfortingly.

By the end of the week, Liam's bruises had faded. His friendship with Harry broken, he found companionship in a new group of friends, albeit a very untrustworthy group that tried to destroy him behind his back.

It was at the end of that week that Niall realized what was waiting right in front of him. A loving boy with a kind heart, someone who knew him, cared for him. This boy held him when he cried, had seen the most intimate parts of his soul, and he didn't care. He didn't judge, didn't comment, just took everything at face value. Niall was the way he was, he wouldn't change for anyone. And this boy understood that. He understood Niall in a way that no one else could. That boy was Zayn.

At the end of the month, the two boys had become closer than they had ever been before. Niall would spend his spare time at the parlour, either getting inked or pierced, or just sitting and talking with Zayn as he worked. Zayn would spend his days off parked on Niall's bedroom floor, playing MarioKart or Assassin's Creed while Niall did homework or played with him.

With the end of the school year looming overhead, Niall studied for his end of year finals as much as he could, hoping to attend university in the fall. Zayn would sometimes help him study, quizzing him as he worked on other assignments or letting the blonde read to him as he worked with his clients.

The start of the summer brought a new perspective on life for both boys. When Zayn asked Niall out, instead of freaking out like he had with Liam, mind filled with self-deprecating thoughts, he simply smiled and said yes. Life was short, and he was more than willing to take the plunge with Zayn by his side.


End file.
